Michigan recall effort canned after Wis. vote

The victory of GOP Gov. Scott Walker earlier this week against a massive union-led recall effort in Wisconsin Tuesday has helped another Republican governor escape a similar fate.

Organizers of a petition drive against Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said Thursday they are suspending their “Michigan Rising” recall drive and will focus their efforts on helping progressive candidates and starting a think tank, the Detroit News reported.

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The group’s spokesman said they had collected just 10,000 recall petition signatures — far below the target of 807,000 they had sought.

Bruce Fealk, the group’s communications director, confirmed that the Wisconsin recall effort was the clincher in Michigan.

“The recall people in Wisconsin had the unions and the Democratic Party behind them, but it still didn’t work,” Mr. Fealk told the Detroit News. “Despite all the commotion, protests and grassroots efforts, it still didn’t make it. It would make it that much harder to succeed in Michigan so that gave us pause.”